By Prof. Kariuki Muigua SC, OGW, Ph.D, FCS, FCIArb, Ch.Arb, Managing Partner, Kariuki Muigua & Co. Advocates & Member, Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).
1.0 Introduction: Carbon Capture as a Strategic Imperative for Africa’s Climate Resilience
The paper identifies the adoption of advanced climate technologies, particularly Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), as a critical strategic imperative for Africa’s sustainable development and climate resilience. Despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa stands as the most vulnerable continent to climate change, facing devastating impacts on food security, water resources, economies, and livelihoods. In response, the paper argues that technology must be at the forefront of the continent’s climate action strategy to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 and the aspirations of Agenda 2063. CCS is presented not as a standalone solution but as a vital technological tool within a broader portfolio, essential for decarbonizing key industries and transitioning to a low-carbon future while safeguarding developmental goals.
2.0 Carbon Capture in Africa: A Landscape of Opportunity and Significant Challenge
The analysis provides a dual assessment of CCS, weighing its potential against the substantial hurdles to its implementation in the African context.
- The Opportunity: A Tool for Decarbonization and Development
- Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Sectors: CCS is defined as a three-step process (capture, transport, storage) capable of capturing over 90% of CO₂ emissions from power generation and heavy industries like cement, steel, and chemicals—sectors crucial for development but difficult to electrify fully.
- Enabling a Just Transition: The technology offers a pathway for Africa to pursue necessary industrialization and economic growth while managing its carbon footprint, acting as a bridge in the energy transition.
- Emerging Momentum: Pioneering projects, such as a direct air capture plant in Kenya, demonstrate growing interest and signal Africa’s potential role in the global carbon management ecosystem.
- The Profound Challenges: Barriers to Adoption
- Prohibitive Costs and Financing Gaps: The extremely high capital and operational expenses of CCS projects pose a major barrier, with most African nations lacking the requisite investment.
- Infrastructure and Technical Deficits: The continent largely lacks the specialized pipeline networks, storage site verification, and technical expertise needed for safe and large-scale deployment.
- Inadequate Legal and Policy Frameworks: Robust regulations governing site selection, long-term liability, monitoring, and safety are largely absent, creating uncertainty for investors.
- The “Moral Hazard” Risk: A significant ethical concern is that CCS could be misused to justify the prolonged use of fossil fuels, potentially diverting focus and resources from renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions.
3.0 A Multi-Pillar Framework for Effective Deployment
To translate the potential of CCS into tangible climate action, the paper advocates for a coordinated, multi-stakeholder strategy built on four foundational pillars:
- Pillar 1: Establishing Robust Governance and Policy
- African governments must develop clear, comprehensive national legal and regulatory frameworks for CCS. This includes laws on permitting, storage site integrity, long-term liability, monitoring, and environmental protection to ensure safe, regulated project development.
- Pillar 2: Unlocking Investment and Financing
- Mobilizing climate finance, green bonds, and catalytic Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) is essential to overcome the capital-intensive nature of CCS. This requires engaging multilateral development banks, climate funds, and the private sector to de-risk and co-fund projects.
- Pillar 3: Building Technical Capacity and Expertise
- Strategic investment in education, training, and knowledge transfer is non-negotiable. Developing a skilled local workforce—from engineers and geologists to regulators—is critical for project execution, oversight, and ensuring local job creation.
- Pillar 4: Fostering Regional and International Cooperation
- No single African country can shoulder this challenge alone. Success depends on collaborative platforms for sharing research, best practices, infrastructure (e.g., shared CO₂ transport hubs), and negotiating technology transfer agreements to accelerate learning and reduce costs.
4.0 Conclusion: A Strategic, Governed, and Integrated Approach
The paper concludes that Carbon Capture and Storage is a viable and necessary technological component for a comprehensive African climate strategy, but its role must be carefully defined. It is a strategic tool for specific sectors, not a silver bullet. Its ethical and effective deployment hinges on it being integrated with, not a substitute for, a rapid expansion of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Ultimately, harnessing CCS for climate action requires a deliberate, governed, and equitable approach that aligns with sustainable development principles, avoids new dependency traps, and ensures the technology contributes to a resilient, low-carbon future for the continent.
